A friend of mine, just moved upto kaukapakapa, to be more exact hes about 5 minutes out of the town. However is on a broadband waiting list, good news is though his neightbours are line of sight 500m away and have given the ok to use their broadband. So im heading up there to install wireless gear (point to point) link next weekend.

Apparently there are other people in the area (quite a few of them) all wanting broadband and cant get it because the local exchange is full. So question is why can they upgrade the exchange?

The neighbours who offered to share their connection are very computer illiterate and dont actually use it very much at all, they are on the most basic plan aswell which we will be upgrading. My mate needs it to run his business. My question is: Why cant service providers prioritize people on a waiting list who specifically need broadband to run their business, and can prove so?

I know some people may disagree with the following: but I think they should adopt a system where they possibly warn existing broadband users in the area with very low usage, that theres high demand for brandband and recommend they relinquish their connection if their usage continues to show very little over several consecutive months < 500mb in a month. eg the little old lady up the road who only checks her email once a week and does very little online, should use dialup for this, and at the same time would allow someone else to have access to broadband who needs it and will actually use it.

Standard DSL is a regulated product so users on the queue can't be prioritized AFAIK. The best bet is perhaps to request something like HSNS which they seem to provision even if normal DSL is full. Sounds like an opportunity for a local WISP, is there none in the area?

Zeon: Sounds like an opportunity for a local WISP, is there none in the area?

+1

Expecting Chorus is going to install capacity for 100% of dwellings is just stupid.

We've spent the last 30 years saying that we should have competition. No one with half a brain is going to install enough capacity for everyone because they become a monopoly provider if they fill the resource, or they have resource that goes unused which all their customers then pay for, causing the average service cost to be higher.

I know some people may disagree with the following: but I think they should adopt a system where they possibly warn existing broadband users in the area with very low usage, that theres high demand for brandband and recommend they relinquish their connection if their usage continues to show very little over several consecutive months < 500mb in a month. eg the little old lady up the road who only checks her email once a week and does very little online, should use dialup for this, and at the same time would allow someone else to have access to broadband who needs it and will actually use it.

Just flat out don't agree with that what so ever. Little old ladys should and do have just as fairer a go on a high speed internet connection as a high end user. Just because the bulk of what they do might not require a high speed doesn't mean they should 'be asked' to relinquish for some dude who has moved in to the area and got his knickers in a twist because they are on a wait list. Sure there are always other factors in where you live, but if you require a broadband connection to run your business, and therefore your livelihood, why move to an area without knowing you can get internet first!! This happens time and time again and I really have absolutely know sympathy. If I was in the situation of buying a house and relied on the internet, I would sure as hell make sure I could get the connection before I even contemplated putting an offer on a place.

On the other hand, good work sharing the neighbours connection. When people think there is no way they can get a net connection there is always one.

Zeon: Standard DSL is a regulated product so users on the queue can't be prioritized AFAIK. The best bet is perhaps to request something like HSNS which they seem to provision even if normal DSL is full. Sounds like an opportunity for a local WISP, is there none in the area?

Yea I suggested a wisp to the guy, hes also up quite high on a hill so would be ideal.

Ragnor: No reason why you couldn't negotiate with the seller pre purchase to try activate a DSL service on one of the lines in, most places have two pair in the phone cable to the premises.

Worth doing if you need to work from home/online.

If they already had broadband and providing its not tenants that own the connection, I would try and make it a condition that they keep the phone/broadband account active and I just take over the account.

gareth41: I know some people may disagree with the following: but I think they should adopt a system where they possibly warn existing broadband users in the area with very low usage, that theres high demand for brandband and recommend they relinquish their connection if their usage continues to show very little over several consecutive months < 500mb in a month. eg the little old lady up the road who only checks her email once a week and does very little online, should use dialup for this, and at the same time would allow someone else to have access to broadband who needs it and will actually use it.

The old lady has the same rights as anyone else, regardless of how much she spends on broadband.

If someone can't get a fixed line connection then there are alternatives such as a WISP, mobile data, etc. Even, as suggested, sharing a connection with someone else through wireless.

If this is part of business requirements surely a budget will be set aside for this to happen. If it's a lifestyle choice, then certainly someone's option shouldn't step over anyone else's rights.

chevrolux: If I was in the situation of buying a house and relied on the internet, I would sure as hell make sure I could get the connection before I even contemplated putting an offer on a place. .

This is why you make it a closing condition of the final purchase! If it turns out Chorus don't have any free DSLAM ports for you, oop, the deal is off..

pretty sure they won't know until they actually try to provision the connection, which won't happen until you try to move in, which won't happen until the deal has gone unconditional.

Just to clarify ISP's can now do a pre-check on a site to see if there is an existing waiting list. It is not yet at an efficient business as usual type process at every ISP but it is possible to check if there are already existing waiters in the area.

Obviously checking this does not rule out all possibility of there being some sort of problem but it is an improvement on the old put an install attempt through and find out the hard way.

As for the OP. As much as I understand where you are coming from I encourage you to look into net neutrality and the socio-economic and political issues around this. I suspect you might wish to rethink your idea at this point as it is a nasty slippery slope you are suggesting there.

gareth41: A friend of mine, just moved upto kaukapakapa, to be more exact hes about 5 minutes out of the town. However is on a broadband waiting list,

This whole area has received RBI upgrades very recently, so there should be no capacity issues I would have though. Possibly your friend is connected to a Conklin cabinet outside the planned RBI area. The other option here would be RBI wireless.

Let me know if you would like any help / advice.

Cheers Fraser

Chorus has spent $1.4 billion on making their ADSL broadband network faster. Why not spend a couple of hundred to make sure you are getting the most out of your connection?Geekzone special price: $150* for master splitter install, normally $200+ through your ISP. Auckland and Waikato areas.*Travel charges may apply. Additional costs may apply for complex installs. I install - Naked DSL, DSL Master Splitters, VoIP, RBI Rural Broadband. Also a dealer for WorldxChange. Need help in Auckland or Waikato? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com